Bridging School Cultures: Designing Shared Resource Schools

Abstract

Max Chester has designed schools over many years for diverse client groups. This paper begins with an interpretation of the various school sectors and their funding relationships with government bodies. He describes an intense personal learning experience as he undertook his first commission for an Islamic school. While Max advocates that government funding should support choice between government and private school systems, he also sees advantages in local schools from different sectors sharing resources with each other and their communities. The Australian government pilot program to fund shared educational facilities between local schools is an initiative which Max has been exploring with..